August 20, 2025
As we are getting later in the season fruit are getting larger and people are noticing more blemishes on fruit. One type of unusual damage is caused by birds. If you see green fruit that appears scratched or scraped with tiny holes that haven’t quite pierced the skin that could be bird damage (Fig. 1). This damage is often tan or gray in appearance and contrasts with the green peel. Birds will peck at the fruit and often perch on fruit and scratch it up with their claws. This is what causes the punctures and scrapes. If the punctures go through the rind the fruit will likely rot and fall off because of secondary diseases but if the damage is superficial the fruit will remain on the tree. The fruit will still be edible later but will not look good so it cannot be sold commercially. Usually there is not enough bird damaged fruit to be concerned about but if you see this damage it is likely your citrus trees are providing nice habitat for birds to hide and nest.
